On May 3, 2024, a significant protest occurred in Peckham, London, involving around 150 demonstrators who aimed to prevent the relocation of eight asylum seekers from a local hotel to the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset. The protesters employed drastic measures such as slicing the tires and placing rental bikes under the wheels of the coach designated for transporting the migrants. This led to a tense standoff, which lasted for seven hours before police intervened, eventually resulting in the coach departing empty.

During this incident, 45 individuals were arrested by the Metropolitan Police for a variety of offenses including obstructing the highway, obstructing police, and assaulting police officers. Among those detained was a Home Office contractor and another individual arrested for a racially aggravated public offense, though this person was not affiliated with the protest.

The protest outside the Peckham hotel gained support from various groups, including left-wing student organizations, Black Lives Matter, local refugee charities, and migrant English teachers. Protesters were vocal against immigration policies, chanting against borders and deportations, and urging more people to join their cause via social media and other platforms.

In his response, Home Secretary James Cleverly reinforced the government’s stringent stance on immigration enforcement, stressing the removal of individuals residing in the country without legal rights. The Home Office committed to maintaining high standards and ensuring proper conduct among its contractors, amid ongoing police investigations.

This event underscores the heightened tensions and complexities surrounding the UK’s immigration and asylum policies, particularly concerning the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge for housing migrants—an approach that has been met with widespread critique and resistance. Despite these challenges, the government remains steadfast in its plan to close 150 migrant hotels.